LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – It’s another warm and muggy start to the day across Central and Eastern Kentucky, with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms already affecting parts of southern and eastern portions of the state this morning. So far, Lexington has managed to stay dry—but that won’t last forever.
As we move into the afternoon and evening, our attention turns to the potential for stronger storms. The Storm Prediction Center has placed most of our region under a Level 2 out of 5 Severe Risk, meaning scattered strong to severe storms will be possible. Damaging wind gusts will be the primary concern, though isolated large hail can’t be ruled out. Localized heavy to torrential rainfall will also be possible, which could lead to brief flooding in poor drainage areas.
Storm chances will increase later in the day as the atmosphere becomes more unstable. Models suggest MLCAPE values of 1,500–2,000 J/kg will be in place, especially south of I-64, providing enough energy to fuel thunderstorms. While wind shear remains on the weaker side (which limits any tornado potential), clusters or broken lines of storms could still pack a punch, especially with gusty downbursts and pockets of heavier rain…